Any ideas what these painful lumps could be?

[cupcake72]

Before I go into detail, I have made a doctors appointment but it's not until late October SO in the meantime I wanted to inquire somewhere besides Google for any possibilities.

One morning, a little more than a week ago, I woke up with a very sore right under arm. I noticed soon after that I had what I would describe as a soft lump in my arm pit. I chalked it up as swollen lymph nodes maybe from deodorant or something else and went about my business. I went to work that same day where I used that arm a lot to reach up high which wasn't fun at all because it hurt! Towards the end of the evening the pain wasn't so bad and by the next day it was way less painful and I'd say close to being gone.

That wasn't the first time I had painful under arm lumps, I had them a good while back but the ones I had before I think were a result of deodorant changes which was why I figured maybe it was suddenly irritating me in the most recent episode.

Anywho, this week I discovered that my left arm had a painful spot where when I cross my arms my right hand touches when I would keep my right hand between me and my left arm (if you follow that) If you didn't follow that, I'd call it upper arm right above my elbow on the inside. It was another lump! The one under my right underarm had been gone but this one showed up exactly a week after the other one. I discovered it two nights ago and it's still there today, it's gone down a little in size, it still hurts when I touch it. It occasionally will hurt without me touching it.

My skin is normal colored, no bruising on either one, no redness. I called them lumps because they're not really noticeable unless I point them out however you can certainly feel them by just running a hand across my skin. The underarm one was noticeable because the skin is tighter there.


Anyone ever have anything similar? If I get any additional ones I'm going to call and see if I they can get me in any sooner at the doctors. I'm a new patient so I think that's why I have such a long wait to be seen.

[kickanxietysbutt]

I hate to say try not to worry about it, because if you're anything like me, that's probably all you're doing, but I've had similar pain and lumps before.  I've had them under my arms, but even worse, I had them in the back of my neck and up my skull.  A few nurses I talked to were not even aware that we have lymph nodes in our heads, so then I got really worried.  Do you have allergies?  I went to the doctor and he said that was most likely the cause of the lumps and pain.  Mine lasted for a few weeks and haven't been back since.

[Ricobord]

It sounds to me like swollen lymph nodes. Usually they indicate an infection of some kind, or a problem in the lymphatic system.  If I were you, I would call the doctor's office back and describe your painful lumps and ask them to get you in earlier. Perhaps you could be on a cancellation list to come in on short notice.

[Lena85]

I have had that before, I think it could be an infected hair follicle possibly after shaving. Some deodorants can clog you up. Try using talcum powder and no deodorant for a few days.